A Rose's Dream
by xXvitaminXx
Summary: Hirumi Barazen grew up as the precious pureblood. She was the image of a rose; beautiful, elusive and yet holding a sense of being forbidden. Even the most beautiful roses have thorns. She was bound to fall in love sooner or later... TakumaXOCXZero
1. Prologue

**[Author's Note]** My first VK fan fic~ I suppose it's a tribute to Takuma for being awesome ^___^ Enjoy~  
**[Disclaimer]** I do not own Vampire Knight or any of it's characters.

* * *

_**The Rose Falls  
**_

_The young boy had blond hair that reflected pale, near-white light under the bright summer sun. A petite girl with long onyx hair stood idly as she watched. Her hands were folded together in front of her as she held her elegant, trained composure. His bright green eyes appeared to sparkle as he extended a hand towards the small girl with a smile. His lips moved in lieu of a phrase that could have been, "Let's go"._

The bright bothered her. She opened her eyes lazily and groggily rubbed the backs of her hand to her eyes. The dark blue gems of her irises flashed as a stray beam of sunlight glared into her naked eye. With a slow, deliberate blink she fought back the temporary blindness caused by photophobia.

Miyabi had forgotten to keep the silk curtains closed again.

Pulling back the heavy down duvets off of herself, the dark-haired female slowly moved her legs off the side of the antique four-poster bed. She shuffled her feet across the floor, finally finding the slippers that waited by the side of the bed. It took her much effort to finally pull free of the clutches of sloth and stand on her own two legs.

She wasn't a morning person.

How ironic.

"Hirumi-sama." The voice was accompanied by a soft, cautious knock.

"I'm awake, Miyabi," the dark-haired girl, Hirumi, replied. Following her response, a young woman with sable hair entered the room with her head lowered.

"I have picked out your outfit for today and you will find it hung on the first rack in your closet, Miss," Miyabi explained as she made the bed. "Your breakfast is ready for you in the dining hall. Today, the chef has prepared a European-style breakfast. He has tried to incorporate the Italian—" The attendant continued although she knew very well, Hirumi wasn't listening to a word she said.

"I had a strange dream," Hirumi began as she straightened out the ruffles on her cream-toned dress. "It must have been from about ten years ago." Hirumi Barazen sat down on the edge of her bed. "I saw that boy again. The one whose grandfather was a close friend of mine," she said. She couldn't quite remember his name, though she was rather certain that it was Ichi-something or other. "I can't remember his name," the girl stated rather plainly.

"You speak of young master Ichijou?" Miyabi asked with a gentle smile. It was rare that Hirumi spoke of her own free will. It was rare to hear her voice even if you were her personal attendant of family. Miyabi Shingi remembered the days of Hirumi's childhood rather well.

"Yes, that must be the one. I think it must have been in our rose garden when he plucked from my rose bush. Do you know what ever happened to him since?" Hirumi inquired, trying not to sound too curious.

"I believe he is attending Cross Academy with some others," Miyabi replied as she closed the closet doors. "I hear it's a fine school."

* * *

"Otou-sama, what do you know of Cross Academy?" Hirumi asked quietly as she rolled the small piece of meat around her plate. "I hear some of the other nobles my age are attending there, even Kaname-sama himself." Her voice was ever so quiet as she kept her midnight blue eyes glued to her plate.

"Cross Academy?" her father repeated in a tone Hirumi could not assess. He cleared his throat and set down his cutlery, this generally wasn't a good sign. "While I see no good coming out of attending an educational institution with humans, I must say there must be _some_ good to the whole nonsense if Kaname-sama is willing to attend such a school."

Hirumi nodded as poked at the meat before placing it within her mouth.

"Why do you ask, Hirumi?" her father inquired as he leaned back comfortably in his seat. "I find it is quite suitable enough for purebloods to be taught in private."

"I was only curious what you made of it, otou-sama," the girl replied, meek under her father's suspicion that there was a bigger picture she was painting out of this question.

"Daiki, do you not think it may be time for Hirumi to have a taste of the outside world?" her mother asked with a gentle smile. Hirumi and her father both looked up at Nadeshiko Barazen, both just as wide-eyed as the other. "She hasn't interacted much with other vampires, not to mention she's only met Kaname-sama in person once or twice."

Her father cleared his throat again as she brushed back a few strands of jet black hair that hadn't been gelled back properly. He took a swig of his red wine as he averted his eyes from his wife's. "I suppose," he started slowly as he ran his finger tip across the rim of the wine glass, "that it would be alright…"

Hirumi looked up from her meal eagerly as her father just came to finish the sentence.

"Only _if_ it could be assured that somebody would be keeping an eye on her." The dreaded 'if' had made its entrance yet again.

"Doesn't Takuma-san attend Cross Academy?" Nadeshiko inquired innocently, as if trying to recall some faint bit of information she had picked up in the past. "Why, I'm certain that Takuma-san would look out for Hirumi like his own sibling. After all, they got along so well as children!" the hazel-haired woman smiled innocently as she looked toward her only daughter. "You remember Takuma-san, don't you? He used to come and visit with his grandfather and the two of you would play in the rose gardens!"

Hirumi pretended to think, like she had to try to remember who he was. "The grandson of Ichijou-san?" the girl asked as if she vaguely remembered something of the sort. "I don't remember all _too_ well…" All the while, from the corner of her eye, Hirumi was watching her father's expression, looking for something that gave a clear answer.

"I suppose," Daiki Barazen began yet again, "it would be alright. I would have to get in touch with him personally, first."

"Isn't that wonderful, Hirumi? You'll be attending Cross Academy with the others!" her mother smiled pleasantly. Nadeshiko was the one who was always trying to have her daughter more involved in the vampire community while Hirumi was the one that shied away relentlessly from these attempts at entering the society (without trying to disappoint her mother too much, of course). "I think it would be wonderful if we paid a visit to the academy sometime soon before Hirumi's transfer," the slim woman said eagerly as she looked toward her husband. Daiki Barazen was no more than putty in his wife's very capable hands…

All she wanted to do was to just _ask_ about the school. How did she end up as the newest student?


	2. Chapter 1

**[Author's Note]** First chapter (second if you count the prologue…) is finally up~ I tried to make this one longer than the last XD Three pages is point 10 font! Yay~ Please leave me a comment/review, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading!

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_**First Rose (Hirumi)**_

I constantly adjusted the crystal pin in my hair as I sat in the back seat of the car that would transport me to my new school. The first real school I would be attending with other vampires. I didn't tell my mother but I was a little worried about the Hunger. I taunted me, whether I would be able to keep our secret amongst scores of humans or not. It would cause a problem not just for me but for the others if I did something so foolish as to drink a human's blood. I wouldn't possibly, right?

I gazed out the window, still fidgeting with my accessories (it was my necklace this time) and crossing and uncrossing my legs. I could see the caps of the roof of the campus peek out at me over the tall green conifers that surrounded the area like a thick forest. I took a deep breath and relaxed my tense muscles one at a time. I hardly said anything to him when I had been here the previous week with my father.

* * *

_I sat silently as my father spoke to Takuma, asking about his grandfather and the school. I looked past Takuma's shoulder, out the window, as I tried not to squirm around in my seat. The window was opened just a little and the afternoon sky had coral and pink tones of the sunset spreading, reaching its arms towards the blue sky. There were no clouds and the unique hue that threatened to devour the cheery blue fascinated me. It was nothing like what I usually saw._

"_Very well then, I shall go speak to your headmaster, Takuma," my father said as he stood up from his seat. Takuma got up in a display of respect for my pureblood father (just as she sat down only after both my father and I had done so) and in a moment of confusion I got up to follow my father. "Takuma, would you keep an eye on Hirumi so that she may not get herself in any trouble." This wasn't a question; it was an order for a lesser vampire. My father's hand forced me back into the sofa._

"_Of course, Barazen-sama," Takuma replied obediently as he flashed a smile in my direction. "Would you like me to show you around, Hirumi-sama?" he inquired politely as my father exited the room._

"_You used to call me Rumi-chan before," I whispered as I perched my chin on the back of my hand, leaning against the arm of the sofa. Thinking for a moment, I realized he called me by even more ridiculous nicknames. There was Rumi-chan, Hiru-run, Mi-tan and the like. I looked away from him and glued my eyes to the eerie colors past his large windows._

_Takuma smiled again. "It would be rude of me to call someone of your importance by such a title!" he exclaimed. "Unless, of course, you command me to call you so, then I shall have no choice." Yet another smile seemed to dance across his lips. Why was he always so happy? Could a vampire really be this joyous?_

_I felt a tinge of warmth in my cheeks and buried my face in my arms. "I'm tired." My voice was muffled by my arms but he got the message._

"_Understood, I shall wait for your father in the hallway," his voice was soft, gentle as he exited his own room for my comfort._

_

* * *

_

When the car door opened I was greeted by nothing less than my father's expectations. All the vampires attending Cross Academy were standing, awaiting my arrival in front of the Moon Dorm. They greeted me with the detached respect they would greet any pureblood. From the group I picked out two I did not recognize. The pair was a female and a male, both around my age. It didn't take long for me to smell that they were human. I was about to panic, to fear that I might draw blood from either of their necks when a tall young man stepped forth, breaking the perfectly arranged line.

"Hirumi-san," Kaname Kuran greeted me with a faint smile on his lips. His hand asked for mine and upon granting him that hand of mine, he took it gingerly in his hand. My smaller hand looked like that of a doll's in his larger one. He brought the back of my hand to his lips and placed a polite kiss on the back of my hand.

"It's good to see you again, Kaname-san," I replied politely as he released my hand and I let it fall slowly to my side. "It's been a long time since we had seen each other last," I noted.

"Indeed it has," he agreed. "Allow me to introduce you to the school's Guardians." He spoke of the two humans. "This is Yuuki Cross, the daughter of the chairman himself, and Zero Kiryu." My eyes rested on those of the silver-haired human boy. The way he looked at me was very strange. It didn't show respect or fear like some other vampires, or interest like the human girl. That guy, Zero, looked at me like it made no difference to him that I was just one more. No, let me correct myself, he just looked like he wanted to eat me or something.

"Hirumi-san!" I wondered who would call by such a title, since it certainly was not Kaname's voice who spoke. My eyes met those of a man with long hazel hair. I recognized him to be the headmaster of the school. "How wonderful of you to decide to join the Night Class here at Cross!" the man exclaimed in joy.

"Thank you for taking me as a student," I replied without much facial expression.

He continued about the school's history and reputation but I started to faze him out and my eyes started to wander. For one reason or another, when my eyes came to a stop, I found myself staring into emerald gems that happened to be the irises of Takuma Ichijou. He gave me a warm smile, like he would on any other day. Forcing my eyes to roam about I found them this time resting on those of the human boy (I couldn't remember his name already). Surprisingly enough, this time, he was the first to look away. Rather quickly too.

"So, how about you are shown around the school, now?" the headmaster inquired with a smile.

"I can show her around," Takuma volunteered, raising a hand.

"Oh, do you two know each other?" the headmaster asked, pleasantly surprised (or so he wanted us to think he was).

"Asato Ichijou is a close friend of my father's," I explained before Takuma could.

"I see. But Takuma-san, I was planning on having Zero or Yuuki show her around. They are the guardians after all." Takuma agreed it would be best to have me shown around by the guardians, those who would know the school best. The headmaster (whose name I now remembered to be Kaien Cross) asked his daughter if she would show me around but she apologized for not being able to since she had some unfinished work to attend to.

"Fine, I'll do it," Zero said, sounding rather annoyed. This frustrated me, he was feeling annoyed about showing me around? I suppose it was mostly because of this pride of mine that all purebloods seemed to share.

* * *

"That's the dorm where the humans sleep, meaning that, you can't go in there . . . ever." His explanations were plain and boring and it was obvious that he wanted this to be over soon. His anti-vampire views were obviously seething through his speech. I followed behind him, giving him enough distance since he seemed to freak out when I got too close.

"I can get around myself," I muttered in a near-muted voice as kicked at a small pebble in my path.

"Yeah, and how am I supposed to know that you won't go drinking blood from the other students?" Zero demanded as she spun around. His sudden stop forced me to stop in order to keep the distance of about three or four feet between us.

"You wouldn't," I replied simply, keeping my expression blank. I stared right at him, my eyes unfaltering even under the pressure of his intense gaze. I wasn't going to be the first to look away, I would be admitting to defeat if I did that.

"Well, my job description says I gotta keep filthy bloodsuckers like you away from my fellow students." In fear of being overheard, he spoke in a harsh whisper. I continued to stare coldly into his icy grey eyes. He was the first to avert his gaze elsewhere.

"And I suppose mine is to draw blood from arrogant humans like you," I returned with venom in my tone. I could see he was getting angry with me and that he was trying extremely hard not to burst in frustration. His hands were balled up into fists at his side as he turned around to resume the tour. The sun was setting again and I could once more, see the eerie glow of the coral hues.

Around us, a few Day Class students—the humans—hurried about, whispering things that I could easily pick up. They said things like: "Hey, who's that girl with Zero-kun?", "Doesn't he scare her at all?", "Is that the new girl in the Night Class?" I disregarded the things they spoke of and continued to trail behind my not-so-friendly tour guide.

When the bland tour was over, Zero walked me to the Moon Dorms, though, mostly because of his assumption that I was a savage, bloodthirsty leech. How dare he compare us purebloods to such lowlife organisms! By the entrance to the dorm, Takuma stood, waiting.

"Well, I'm done. Look's like your manservant is waiting for you," Zero stated as he spotted Takuma leaning against the outside wall. "So I suppose I'll be seeing you on Monday night." I didn't understand why he told me when I'd see him again.

"He's not my servant, and by the way, I think you're arrogant and that you underestimate us too much," I told my views to the silver-haired boy that was already walking away from me. Zero looked back out of the corner of his eye and I thought I saw a grin for a second.

"And I think you're all bloodsucking monsters." God knows why, but I—for some unknown reason—thought I had smiled when he said so. It was strange to think, this guy had just insulted me and my kind but I stood there smiling, almost amused, as he left.

"Hirumi-sama!" Takuma called out as he jogged over to where I stood, watching the human boy leave. "Did he say anything to you?" he asked in suspicion that the human might have offended me in any way.

"Nothing more than I expected to hear of a vampire hunter," I replied as I turned toward the large building. The building I would call my home for the next while. Takuma frowned at my comment but turned it into a smile nonetheless.

"Allow me to show you to your room," he spoke kindly as he held the door open for me. As I looked inside, beyond the double doors that were held open by Takuma, I thought 'Ah, so this is where I would be living from today on . . .'


End file.
